Folding chair



Jan. 15, 1929.

M. SCHLOSSBERG ET AL FOLDING CHAIR Filed Sept. 16, 1927 2. Sheets-Sheet 1 l/Wf/VTOES: Maul: SCI/10888516, DAY/b G amrzemv cn,

Jan. 15, 1929.

SCHLOSS'BERG ET AL FOLDING CHAIR Filed Sept. 15, '1927 2 Sheets-Sheet Mon/s Scnm'ssun 6,

DAVID 6318 A? 575 c Patented Jan. 15, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MORRIS SGHLOSSBERG AND DAVID G. PASTERNAUK, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYL- VANIA, ASSIGNORS OF ONE-HALF TO MORRIS SCI-ILOSSBERG AND MAX JACOIBSON AND ONE-HALF T DAVID G. PASTERNACKQIND AARON I. PASTERNACK, ALL OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

FOLDING CHAIR.

Application filed September 16, 1927. Serial No. 219,851.

Our invention relates to what are known as reclining chairs, wherein a substantially horizontal seat frame is provided with a back frame hingedly connected therewith and adjustable rack mechanism whereby said back may be held in various positions of inclination with respect to said seat.

The form of our invention hereinafter de scribed includes a third frame which is normally folded upon the seat frame but which may be unfolded to form a foot rest portion of a bed in which the head portion is formed by turning the chair back down to horizontal position.

Our invention relates particularly to the adjustable rack mechanism aforesaid and means whereby the chair back may be lowered while the chair is occupied'and includ ing a vertically movable plunger in cooperative relation with a pivoted rack member arranged to depress the latter from engagement with a stationary stud, in opposition to the stress of a spring. In the preferred form of our invention herein illustrated, the plunger is formed in two sections the lower one of which is carried by the seat frame and the upper one of which is carried by the foot rest frame and presented in cooperative relation with the lower section when the foot rest is folded upon the seat as above contemplated. However, it is to be understood that the rack mechanism of our invention may be embodied in a folding chair which does not include such a foot rest or two-part operating plunger.

Our invention includes the various novel features of construction andqarrangement hereinafter more definitely specified. i

In said drawings; Fig. I is a side elevation of a folding chair adapted to be unfolded to form a bed.

Fig. II is a plan View of said chair in the folded position shown in Fig. I.

Fig. III is a plan view of said chair in unfolded position, to form a bed.

Fig. IV is a side elevation of said chair in the position shown in Fig. III.

Fig. V is a perspective viewof one of the side plates mounted on the seat frame and carrying three laterally projecting studs in stationary relation with said frame.

Fig. VI is a perspective View of the lower plunger section and its housing which is also adapted to be rigidly connected with said .seat frame. I

Fig. VII is a fragmentary perspective view showing the joint between the cross bar and one of the pair of rack bars which it rigidly connects.

In said figures; the seat frame 1, provided with four legs 2 resting upon the floor 3 has, extending from side to side thereof, a spring fabric 4 covered by a webbing 5. Said frame 1 has opposite side plates 7, each having three studs thereon, respectively 8, 9 and 10, conveniently cast in unitary relation therewith. Said plates are so located upon opposite sides of said frame that the stress of pressure on the chair back is borne by the sides of that frame and not by the back legs as heretofore. Therespective studs 8, 9 and 10 are in coaxial relation, with their axes at ri ht angles to the longitudinal axis of the chair.

Saidstuds 8 are respectively pivotally engaged with the metalside bars 12 which are in parallel relation and rigidly connected with the chair back frame 13; so that the lat- 1 ter is thus hingedly connected with said chair seat frame 1; so that it is angularly adjustable from substantially vertical to horizontal position. As indicated in Fig. IV, the studs 9 serve as stops for contact with the side bars 12 to prevent the back frame 13 from being depressed below horizontal position and thus support the upper portion of the body of the occupant when the latter is prone.

Said frame 13 is provided with suitable spring fabric 14 and webbing 15 within the cushion 16 which forms a back rest for the occupant of the chair.

Said side bars 12 of the back frame 13 are pivotallyconnected at 18 respectively with the rack levers 19 and 20 which are similarly provided with a series of notches 21 and alike, except that the rack lever 19 has the forwardly extending flange 23. The pair of rack levers 19 and 20 are rigidly connected by the crossbar 25, the ends of which'fit into the L-shaped flanges 26 and 27 upon the respective levers 19 and 20 and are detachably rigidly connected therewith by the respective screw members 28 and 29.

Said pair of rack levers 19 and 20 are normally resiliently upheld with their notches 21 presented in engagement with the opposite studs 10 upon the respective plates 7 conveniently by means of spiral springs 31 and 32 which are respectively connected to said rack bar flanges 26 and 27 at their lower ends. The upper ends of said springs are respectively engaged with said studs 10 upon opposite sides of said seat frame 1.

The means above described serve to hold the back frame 13 in any position of inclination with respect to the seat frame 1 in which it may be set with the studs 10 selectively engaged with opposite notches 21 in said rack levers 19 and 20, and said levers may be simultaneously released from their engaging studs 10 by downward pressure upon the flange 23 of said lever 19. Although such release may be directly effected by hand; we prefer to provide the releasing plunger 35 (which is normally upheld by the spring 36) in cooperative relation with said flange 23; said plunger being mounted to reciprocate vertically in the housing 37 which is conveniently a metal casting having lugs 33 by which it may be rigidly secured by screws 39 to the adjacent side member of the seat frame 1. The upper end of said releasing plunger 35 is substantially flush with the top of the seat frame 1 so that it may be directly manually operated when the top of said frame 1 is exposed. However, said chair seat frame 1 is pivotally connected by hinge members 41, with the frame 42 which is normally folded upon said frame 1 as indicated in Figs. I and II but may be unfolded as -'ndicated in Figs. III and IV to form a foot rest. Said foot rest frame 42 has a pair of uprights 44, at the front thereof, and a pair of uprights 45, at the rear thereof, rigidly connected by the arms 46 which are provided with pads, indicated at 47, covered by fabric webs 48 which extend'over the sides of said frame 42 between said uprights 44 and 45. Said uprights 45 are of such length that when they are turned down to rest upon the floor, as indicated in IV, they uphold said pads 47 from the floor, but serve to rigidly support said foot rest frame 42 with its then upper portion in the same plane with the top of the seat frame I. Said frame 42 has the webbing 49 extending over the spring fabric 50 to which the cushion 51 is connected atits edges. Said cushion 51 may be so constructed as to appear to be loose and detachable when the frame is in the folded position shown in Figs. I and II; although in fact permanently connected with said frame 42.

In order that said plunger 35 may be operated when said frame 42 is folded to the position shown in Figs. I and II; we provide said frame with the reciprocatory plunger section 52 (which is normally upheld by the spring 53) which is so mounted as to then register in axial alinement with said plunger 35, as indicated in Fig. I. Said plunger section 52 is held in the desired position aforesaid by the housing 54 which is rigidly connected with the member 55 of said foot rest frame 42.

When in the folded. position shown in Fig. I; the plunger section 52 presents its push button top substantiallyfhish with the top of the pad 47 and in position to be conveniently depressed by the occupant of the chair. Such depression causes said plunger section 52 to lower the plunger section 35 and release the racks 19 and 20 so that the occupant may lean back and incline the back frame 13 to any desired position in which, upon release of said push button 56, said back frame is held by re-engagement of the racks 19 and 20 with their respective studs 10.

As above contemplated, the three frames of the complex form of our chair structure illustrated, may be unfolded to the posit-ion shown in Figs. III and IV in which they present a substantially horizontal continuous plane bed surface to support the occupant in prone position. However, it is to be understood that in a simpler form of, our invention, the foot rest frame 42 may be omitted and the rack mechanism be released by direct operation of the plunger section 35, without the employment ofthe auxiliary plunger section 52 which is carried by said foot rest.

Therefore, we do not desire to limit ourselves to the precise details of construction and arrangement herein set forth, as it is obvious that various modifications may be made therein without departing from the essential features of our invention, as defined in the appended claims.

o claim v 1. In a folding chair, the combination with a seat frame; of a back frame; means hingedly connecting said frames in angularly adjustable relation, including two axially alined pivot studs upon respectively opposite sides of said seat frame, and opposite side bars on said back frame, 'pivotally connected with said pivot studs; means arranged to temporarily hold said'back frame in adjusted position, including two rack studs, upon respectively opposite sides of said seat frame, two' rigid rack levers of the second order respectively carried by said. bars and fulcrumed at their rear ends to said bars, and having respective series of notches adapted to-be selectively engaged with said rack studs, and spring means arranged to normally uphold said rack levers in engagement with said rack studs; and means whereby said rack levers may be temporarily depressed, and thus released fromsaid rack studs, to permit change inthe angular position of said back frame. v

2. In a folding chair, the combination with a seat frame; of a back frame, means hingedly connecting said frames in angularlyadjustable relation; means arranged to temporarily hold said back frame in adjusted position, including a rack stud, on said seat frame a rigid rack lever, of the second order detachably fulcrumed at its rear end to said back frame, carried by said back frame and having notches adapted to be selectively engaged with said rack stud, and spring means arranged to normally uphold said rack lever in engagement with said rack stud; and means whereby said rack lever may be temporarily depressed, and thus released from said rack stud, to permit change in the angular position of said back frame.

3. In a folding chair, the combination with a seat frame; of a back frame; means hingedly connecting said frames in angularly adjustable relation; means arranged to temporarily hold said back frame in adjusted position, including a rack stud, on said seat frame, a rigid rack lever, of the second order fulcrumed at its rear end to said back frame, carried by said back frame and having notches adapted to be selectively engaged with said rack stud, and spring means arranged to normally hold said rack lever in engagement with said rack stud; a foot rest frame operatively connected with said seat frame; and means whereby said rack lever may be temporarily released from said rack stud, to permit change in the angular position of said back frame; comprising a plunger mounted on said foot rest frame; whereby said rack lever may be manually thrust in opposition to the stress of said spring means, when said foot rest frame is folded over said seat frame.

4. In a folding chair, the combination with a seat frame; of a back frame; means hingedly connecting said frames in angularly adj ustable relation, including two axially alined pivot studs, upon respectively opposite sides of said seat frame, and opposite side bars on said back frame, pivotally connected with said pivot studs; means arranged to temporarily hold said back frame in adjusted position, including two rack studs, upon re spectively opposite sides of said seat frame, two rigid rack levers, of the second order respectively carried by said bars and fulcrumed at their rear ends to said bars. and having respective series of notches adapted to be selectively engaged with said rack studs,

and spring means arranged to normally uphold said rack levers in engagement with said rack studs; a foot rest frame arranged to normally overlie said seat frame; and means whereby said rack levers may be temporarily depressed, and thus released from said rack studs, to permit change in the a11gular position of said back frame; comprising a plunger mounted for axial reciprocation on said foot rest frame; whereby said rack levers may be manually thrust in opposition to the stress of said spring means, when said foot rest frame is folded over said seat frame.

5. In a folding chair, the combination with a seat frame; of a back frame; means hingedly connectingsaid frames in angularly adjustable relation, including two axially alined pivot studs, upon respectively opposite sides of said seat frame, and opposite side bars on said back frame, pivotally connected with said pivot studs; means arranged to temporarily hold said back frame in adjusted position, including two rack studs, upon respectively opposite sides of said seat frame, two rack levers respectively fulcrumed at their rear ends to said bars, and having respective series of notches adapted to be selectively engaged with said rack studs, and spring means arranged to normally uphold said rack levers in engagement with said rack studs; a foot rest frame hingedly connected with said seat frame; and means whereby said rack levers may be temporarily depressed, and thus released from said rack studs, to permit change in the angular position of said back frame, including a plunger on said seat frame, and a plunger on said foot rest frame, arranged to register in cooperative relation when said foot rest frame is folded over said seat frame.

In testimony whereof, we have hereunto signed our names at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, this 12th day of September, 1927.

MORRIS SCHLOSSBERG. DAVID G. PASTERNACK.

CERTIFICATE OF GORREGTIDN.

Patent No. 1,69%,452. Granted January 15, 1929, to

MORRIS SCHLOSSBERG ET AL.

it, is hereby certified that the above numbered patent was erroneously issued, by assignment 0t one-half to Morris Schlossberg and Max Jacobson, and one-half to Bavitl Pasternaek and Aaron I. Pasternack, all of Philadelphia, Pa, whereas said patent should have been issued, one-half to Morris Schlossberg, Max Jacobson and Sam Smash, and one-half to David G. Pasternack and Aaron I. Pasternaok,

oi Philadelphia, ia., as shown by the records of assignments in this office; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may eontorm to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 12th day of February, A. D. 1929.

M. J. Moore, (Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

